SAN FRANCISCO – It wasn't long ago that the Golden State Warriors were being written off, calling the 2026-27 season a throwaway after an 0-3 start.
They've since won seven consecutive games and have slowly become one of the hottest teams in the league. If you were sleeping on Golden State, then it's time to wake up. The boys are balling.
The Warriors kept their win streak intact, battling the Orlando Magic in a 126-119 overtime win on Saturday, Nov. 7 at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The Magic came into the with just two wins and were desperate for a spark. It was an easy situation for the Warriors to overlook. Golden State came out the gates with a 16 point lead but Orlando battled back and made it a game throughout.
"These games always scare
me when people are out for the other team (with injury) because the league is filled with hungry, young, athletic players and the way everybody plays now, it's speed, crash the glass, and create extra possessions," Kerr said. "We only got out of there alive because of Steph (Curry) and then some great individual efforts by guys. We got totally outplayed that whole second half. They were amazing. 33 more field-goal attempts. It's almost impossible to win a game, but I'm proud of our guys, because they gutted it out."
Golden State was led by their veteran superstar Stephen Curry, who scored 12 unanswered points himself in the final 2:21 of regulation en route to a 41-point performance. It was his 16th 40-point game since turning 35 years old. He has the most 40-point games in NBA history by a player age 35 or older.
Curry had a vintage performance in which he gets hot in a flash and becomes unstoppable. He went 13-of-19 from the field, 5-of-10 on 3-point shots and a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line. He was the engine for the Warriors, as he's been time and time again throughout his career. It doesn't get old to someone like Draymond Green who's played alongside Curry since 2012.
"It never gets old," Green told USA TODAY Sports. "He's so special, like, he always does something to where it can't get old. You know, it's always something different. ... Down the stretch, you kind of get to a space where you just expect him to make those plays. But never try to take it for granted."
Green caught himself in awe of Curry on one particular shot when he was being guarded by Magic forward Jamal Cain as the shot clock was winding down with 6:46 left in the third quarter. Cain was all over Curry and still, Curry found space to hoist up a 3-point try and it found the bottom of the net.
"The guy's the greatest shooter ever played basketball. But I don't know what in your mind would just tell you, oh, this guy's pressuring me, just shoot," Green said. "Right? That's crazy. I can't begin to process those thoughts, you know, where you're like, gosh, right here. I'm gonna just shoot it. Most people, they do that and you look at them like, yo, what are you doing? It goes in. So I would say that was the one tonight that was really like, man, it's crazy. But, you know, I try I make it a point to try to never take it for granted."
Curry is going to get his but the battle was won through their depth. Every player who logged minutes for Golden State score. The Warriors bench outscored Orlando's second unit, 42-31.
After Curry, Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had the next high with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. Brandin Podziemski added 15 points and 7 rebounds.
The Warriors look to continue their hot streak as they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, Nov. 9 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Tip-off begins at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors keep streak alive, win seventh straight behind Steph Curry's 41 points
